India president to visit Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi in historic first

India’s President-elect Droupadi Murmu is seen during the meeting with folk dancers from the different states of India as they arrive to greet her after she was elected as the country’s new president in New Delhi, India on July 22, 2022. [Pankaj Nangia – Anadolu Agency]

India’s President Droupadi Murmu will embark on a state visit to Algeria, Mauritania and Malawi from 13 to 19 October, marking the first-ever trip by an Indian head of state to these African countries.

This visit, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in New Delhi, represents India’s growing commitment to strengthening its partnership with Africa, particularly following the African Union’s inclusion as a permanent G20 member during India’s presidency last year.

The tour will begin in Algiers, where Murmu will meet her Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, and address the India-Algeria Economic Forum. She will also inaugurate an India Corner at Hamma Garden. This marks the first-ever visit by an Indian president to Algeria and the first visit by a foreign head of state in 39 years.

Watch: On President Draupadi Murmu’s upcoming visit to Mauritania and Malawi, part of her three-nation state visit to Africa, MEA Secretary (ER) Dammu Ravi says, "She will arrive in Mauritania on the morning of 16th October. This will be the first visit by an Indian leader at the… pic.twitter.com/ZH21j6lpyA

— IANS (@ians_india) October 9, 2024

Murmu will arrive in Mauritania on 16 October to hold talks with President Mohamed Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and sign agreements on cultural cooperation and diplomatic visas. She will also meet the small Indian community in the country, which numbers about 150 people.

The final leg of the tour will take place in Malawi from 17-19 October, where the president will meet the Malawian leadership and engage with trade leaders and members of the Indian diaspora. Three Memorandums of Understanding on youth affairs, sports and cultural exchange are expected to be signed.

Speaking at a press conference yesterday, Dammu Ravi, the MEA Secretary for Economic Relations, remarked that, “This visit is a reflection of India-Africa’s growing partnerships.”

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